I know I’ve been harping on congressional Republicans wrapping up the 109th with a dud, and then childishly pouring salt in the soil to screw things up for Dems next year, but there was an entertaining twist today. House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) compared the GOP’s behavior on the Hill to the Bush administration’s management […]
Way back in June, congressional Democrats gave Republican an ultimatum: raise the minimum wage or forget about this year’s cost of living adjustment to congressional salaries. “Congress is going to have earn its raise by putting American workers first: A raise for workers before a raise for Congress,” said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of […]
Maybe it’s my imagination, or maybe it’s still a little early in December, but the “war on Christmas” doesn’t seem to be quite as big a deal this year as the last few years. Bill O’Reilly is still a little worked up and burdened by an oddly misplaced victim complex, but at least thus far, […]
In one of those issues Bill Kristol would almost certainly like to take back, the Weekly Standard ran mocked critics of the war in Iraq in 2003, right around the time American troops helped topple Baghdad’s Saddam statue. The Standard proclaimed, “The Cassandra Chronicles: The stupidity of the antiwar doomsayers.” Oops. As Paul [tag]Krugman[/tag] noted […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * The House failed to pass its so-called “fetal pain” bill yesterday, though it won surprisingly strong support. In fact, a 250 to 162 majority backed the legislation, though it was short of the two-thirds majority required under rules in place at the time. The American College of Obstetricians and […]
When John Kerry mentioned in passing during a 2004 presidential debate that Dick Cheney has a lesbian daughter, it was considered scandalous. Lynne Cheney questioned Kerry’s character and said “he is not a good man.” If Kerry’s an awful person for simply acknowledging the Cheneys’ gay daughter, I’m anxious to know what Dick and Lynne […]
Just 10 days ago, the president participated in a joint press conference with Estonia President Ilves. Asked about Iraq, the president blamed al Qaeda. “There’s a lot of sectarian violence taking place, fomented, in my opinion, because of these attacks by, by al Qaeda, causing people to seek reprisal,” Bush said. Except it was the […]
There were a few interesting moments in today’s joint Bush-Blair press conference, but there was one exchange that stood out. Q: Mr. President, the Iraq Study Group described the situation in Iraq as “grave and deteriorating.” You said that the increase in attacks is “unsettling.” That won’t convince many people that you’re still in denial […]
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell hasn’t exactly been sticking to the White House’s talking points lately, as evidenced by his acknowledgement that Iraq’s violence meets the standard of a civil war. But last night in Pittsburgh, Powell went a little further — and got a little more personal. (thanks to R.S. for the tip) […]
Even by the admittedly low standards of the Bush administration, this seems unusually low. (thanks to several readers for the heads-up) The Bush administration is considering doing away with health standards that cut lead from gasoline, widely regarded as one of the nation’s biggest clean-air accomplishments. Battery makers, lead smelters, refiners all have lobbied the […]